A Love Not Forgotten
by OMG Lord Zed
Summary: With Kazusa gone to Vienna, Haruki and Setsuna do their best to carry on with their friendship and hold onto the promise they had made each other to never leave one another. It's all going well, but they miss their friend. They make a bold decision to find Kazusa and reunite the Light Music Club, even if it's only for one more performance.
1. Chapter 1

**White Album: A Love Not Forgotten**

 **With Kazusa gone to Vienna, Haruki and Setsuna do their best to carry on with their friendship and hold onto the promise they had made each other to never leave one another. It's all going well, but they miss their friend. They make a bold decision to find Kazusa and reunite the Light Music Club, even if it's only for one more performance.**

 **x.x.x**

 _The plane flew higher into the winter sky above Japan. Haruki and Setsuna watched the plane disappear from sight. "We should head home." Setsuna stated softly from her position behind Haruki._

" _I'm going to stay right here." He replied, not moving his eyes from the spot he could last see the plane._

" _Then, I'll stay here with you so you don't freeze." Her eyes lost all joy and happiness, and were replaced with sadness once the full weight of the situation finally hit her. "No, I'll stay here so my heart doesn't freeze." Slowly, tears began to stream from her face. She tightened her grip around Haruki's waist, openly sobbing into his back._

 _Haruki didn't know whether to scream or cry, so it all came out at once. Tears flowed heavily from his eyes. He began screaming into the wind and slamming his hands into the fence directly in front of him. Setsuna flinched as he started screaming. She clenched his coat as if both their lives depended on it._

Haruki sat in his apartment, plucking at the strings of his guitar. He had struggled to play ever since Kazusa had left to Vienna. He tried everyday because he felt it was the only connection he had left with her. The long hours the three of them had spent practicing for the high school fair, always fresh in his mind. He began to play White Album, but stopped after a few chords. Frustration began to rise within him. He clenched his fists and growled loudly at himself.

"Come on! You know this song! Quit fucking it up!" Haruki yelled at himself. He began plucking strings, getting only a few chords in before messing up again. "Damnit!" Haruki was about to toss his guitar against the wall when his phone began to ring, "Yes?"

"Haruki-kun." Setsuna's soft voice came through the ear piece.

"Hi, Setsuna-chan. What's up?" After Kazusa left, Haruki and Setsuna did their best to keep their friendship afloat. It had been rough a few times, but they were dedicated to keeping their promises to each other.

"Haruki-kun, I was wondering if you'd like to get dinner with me later?" Her voice was cheerful as always. Haruki admired the fact that she always tried to remain happy.

"Sure. Where would you like to go?" Haruki finally relaxed enough to set his guitar down rationally.

"Well, I hadn't quite decided that yet. I was hoping we could decide together." Her voice remained soft. She was very careful about what she said to him. He would never get mad or frustrated with her, but she had noticed that at times, he would lose his temper rather quickly.

"Okay, how about I meet you at the train station in two hours?" Haruki's feelings towards their friendship were a bit more strained. He didn't hate Setsuna, but he couldn't help feeling like she was responsible for Kazusa leaving. He knew that wasn't fair, and he knew he played the biggest role in what happened.

"Sounds wonderful, Haruki-kun. See you then. Bye!"

"Bye." Haruki closed his phone, and picked his guitar back up. "Okay, focus. You got this." He took a deep breath, and began plucking the strings. He managed to make it passed the chords he continuously messed up on, until it came time to start the first verse.

 _Even though the passing days pile up,_

 _Our mutual feelings are always by my side_

 _Even if we can't meet, I say 'I'm okay.'_

 _Although I say this, it's riddled with sighs_

Haruki continued to play the song flawlessly, even as visions of Kazusa filled his mind. A wide grin crept across his face, as he began to sing again.

 _The treasure which the passing seasons left,_

 _Is a puzzle missing an important piece_

 _Just like the white snow gently piles up in the streets_

 _We'll fill up all the blank spaces in this album_

Haruki's smile grew wider as the thought of feeling Kazusa's lips against his, crept into his mind. They hadn't kissed much when they were together, but it wasn't something Haruki was going to easily forget. Her kisses set aflame something deep within his soul, and he loved of that feeling.

 _It seems like I'll be undefeated by the loneliness_

 _Which piles up even as a single, uneasy day passes_

" _It'll be all right." You said as you patted my shoulder_

 _By your smile, you gave me energy_

 _Even if we're apart, because those words exist_

 _I'm able to say that I'm happy from my heart_

 _It's a miracle_

He poured his heart into the song. It was as if Kazusa was there watching, smiling at him, falling deeper in love with him. Oh, how he loved her so.

 _Light snow covers my secret thoughts,_

 _And dyes the pages of this pure white album_

 _The treasure which the passing seasons left_

 _Is a puzzle missing an important piece_

 _Just like the white snow gently piles up in the streets_

 _We'll fill up all the blank spaces in this album_

Haruki let his guitar ring out for several seconds before finally silencing it. _Finally, I got it._ He was rather proud of himself at the moment. He hadn't played White Album since the fair, but he hadn't really been playing his guitar at all lately. He still had a while before he had to meet Setsuna at the station. _I should freshen up a bit. I know we're just friends but that's no excuse to be lazy. She's still a woman after all._ He set down his guitar on his bed and gathered his clothes for a shower.

Setsuna set down her phone after she finished speaking with Haruki. It was obvious that he was frustrated but she didn't know from what. "Could he be frustrated with me?" She asked herself softly. It crossed her mind quite often. He had every right to be mad at her all the time, but he almost never was. They had been in a couple of heated arguments in the last few weeks and it scared her to no-end.

Yes, she still loved him, but she wasn't willing to risk their friendship. She had already lost Kazusa; she couldn't imagine losing Haruki as well. The thought alone put her on the verge of a breakdown. "Get it together. You need to focus on Haruki and his feelings. It's the least you can do after costing him a relationship with Kazusa."

She stood from her bed and began scanning her closet for a suitable outfit to wear. While rummaging through her clothes; she came across the outfit she had worn during their performance at the fair.

 _The pounding in her chest increased as they reached the halfway mark of White Album. She could only faintly see the audience because of the blinding spotlights focused on them. She turned back to look at the two best friends she had made during this experience, and she couldn't think of anyone else she'd rather be on stage with._

Setsuna jolted herself from her memory when her clock began chiming, alerting her that a new hour had arrived. She glanced at the clock quickly, and her mind entered panic mode. "Oh no! I only have a hour left! I still need to shower and get to the station!" A soft whine escaped her lips as she stumbled into her bathroom to get ready for her evening with Haruki.

 **.xx.**

Vienna was even more beautiful than Kazusa originally anticipated. Of course, the language barrier was difficult for her to deal with upon her arrival, but she quickly adapted with the help of her mother. Now, she had been Vienna for nearly two months and her vocabulary had improved greatly. She had played nearly seven concerts since her arrival, and her mother was enjoying every second of it. Kazusa, on the other hand, missed playing music with Haruki and Setsuna. It was one of the few times she can remember actually having fun playing music.

Kazusa's fingers glided elegantly across the piano's keys. Her practice regimen hadn't lightened up the slightest bit. If anything, it had gotten stricter. She had gone from practicing ten hours a day to nearly sixteen hours a day. Being in the presence of her mother, she didn't want to be anything less than perfect. She often found herself thinking about Haruki and Setsuna, but mostly Haruki.

"Why didn't he try to stop me from leaving?" She asked herself sadly, letting her hands fall from the piano. _Would you have listened to him if he had?_ It was a question she asked herself often. Would she have stayed if he had asked her to at the airport? Frustration swelled within her, and she slammed her hands down on the keys. "You idiot." She muttered at the mental image of Haruki. "Screw this."

Kazusa stood from the piano, grabbed her coat, and made her way to the front door. As she made her way upstairs; she spotted her mother in the kitchen talking on her cell while opening a bottle of wine. "Typical Mother." Kazusa grinned at herself as she stepped out into the cold Vienna evening. A thick layer of snow covered everything in sight. The street lights reflected off the snow, almost making it seem like the snow produced it's own light.

Kazusa loved the snow. It reminded her of Haruki. She hated and loved him all at once. Her face became flushed when memories of their night together surfaced in her mind. She was a virgin up until that night, and she didn't regret a single second of it. She was happy that she gave herself to him. She loved him more than she cared to admit openly.

 _Kazusa sat crying softly in her room. She had been in Vienna for two weeks and had just completed her second concert. She thought she would be happy about finally getting a jump on her music career, but she missed Haruki terribly. She just wanted to be back in Japan, held tightly in his arms._

 _She buried her face in her hands and wept even more. "Why did things have to get so messed up!?" A knock sounded at her door, she quickly wiped away her tears and did her best to calm her voice. "It's open."_

 _Youko slowly opened the door and stepped inside, "Kazusa, is everything okay?" She looked at her daughter with soft eyes._

" _Everything is fine, Mother. I'm okay." Kazusa did her best to lie but her voice had cracked mid-sentence._

" _I know I haven't been the best mother to you, but I still care about you." She walked over and took a seat next to Kazusa. "Is it about guitar boy?" Kazusa kept her eyes averted. She refused to let her mother see her cry openly. "You miss him, don't you?" This time she received a nod from her daughter. "Did you know I used to be in love once?" That earned her a shocked expression from Kazusa. "Yeah, with your father. He was the greatest man I had ever met, but I was so wrapped up in my career; I refused to let that love blossom into the most amazing thing of my life."_

 _Youko let out a long sigh, "So, when your father asked me to marry him, I declined. I wasn't ready to give up my career. We went our separate ways, and a couple of months later, I found out I was pregnant with you." She turned to Kazusa and gave her a quick smile. "Basically, if you ever want to go back, you can. I admire the dedication you put into our beloved craft, but don't make the same mistake I did. It's not often the love of your life comes around."_

Kazusa thought about leaving Vienna that night, but she decided to stay with her mother. "I made the right choice. I know I did." But even as she spoke those words, something in the back of her mind fought against her. She had been lost in her thoughts for so long, she hadn't even realized she had already stopped outside her favorite coffee house.

A bell rang as Kazusa opened the door and stepped inside. The place was usually empty, which was why she enjoyed it so much. She took a seat in a booth in the center of the room, smiling at the waitress as she took her seat. It was the same waitress that was always here when she came in. She was a beautiful red-haired woman, maybe a year younger than Kazusa. She was always cheerful, and always greeted Kazusa with a smile.

"Back again, Miss?" She walked over to Kazusa, and bowed, "Usual tea with milk?"

Kazusa smiled and nodded, "Yes, please. I'm Kazusa." She held out her hand to the younger girl.

The waitress giggled uncontrollably as she took her hand, "Kazusa Touma, I know. I'm a huge fan of your piano playing. I've been to three of your concerts. I'm Natalia." She stepped away quickly to retrieve Kazusa's tea. Once she returned, she set down the cup and bowed once more.

"I didn't realize you were a fan of classical music. Most younger people won't even consider listening to it." She took a sip of the warm tea, and a smile crept across her face.

"I love all music. Music just has a way of expressing what words can't. Music can just capture the very essence of one's soul with only a few notes." Natalia had a sparkle in her eyes as she spoke. It was something Kazusa hadn't noticed before.

"Would you care to join me?" Kazusa asked, pointing to the seat opposite her.

"Are you sure?" Natalia asked softly.

Kazusa giggled at the girl's surprised expression, "Of course. Please, I insist." Natalia only nodded and took a seat. "You seem to really enjoy music. Do you play any instruments?" Kazusa questioned between sips of tea.

"I play percussion. Sort of." Natalia blushed as she said the last part of her sentence.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I play a drumset. I tried to join an orchestra as a snare drum, but I can't read music." Natalia's face became a light shade of pink. "I always learn songs by listening and watching. I just don't understand musical notes."

That gained a solid chuckle from Kazusa, "Don't be embarrassed. Reading music takes practice. It took me years to learn it. I started when I was just a little girl." Kazusa finished her tea and continued to speak to Natalia about music. This was the first time since arriving in Vienna that she had a chance to have a normal conversation with someone of her own age, and she was going to take full advantage of it.

 **.xx.**

Haruki leaned against the wall at the train station. People passed by him, giving him pleasant expressions as he hummed the tune for 'Powder Snow'. He had been waiting nearly 30 minutes for Setsuna to arrive. _I should have known she'd be late again. She's never on time when she's supposed to meet up with me._ He continued to hum songs to himself, until he heard a woman's voice call out to him. From the corner of his eye, he spotted Setsuna running towards him, waving wildly at him.

"You're late, Setsuna-chan." Haruki pushed himself from the wall, using his leg. "I'm going to start being late as well, so we'll both be on time." A smile crept across his face.

"I'm really sorry, Haruki-kun. I completely lost track of time!" Setsuna bowed three times repeatedly, continuing to apologize.

"Setsuna-chan, it's okay. We need to go. My stomach is about to eat itself." Haruki gripped his stomach just as it made a loud growling sound. Setsuna giggled and nodded in agreement. They marched themselves out of the station and right into the falling snow. Setsuna shot Haruki a loving glance that went totally unnoticed by him, or he really didn't care to acknowledge it.

Haruki looked down at Setsuna, who had gained a sad look in her eyes, "Cheer up." He said nudging her softly with his arm. She looked at him with sad eyes. "I know you miss her. I miss her too but, she's out there in Vienna working on her career and making a name for herself as an elite pianist." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "We'll see her again one day soon, but until then we still have each other."

"I know Haruki-kun, and I love you for keeping your promise to me." Setsuna wrapped jer arms around Haruki's waist and squeezed him tightly. It was times like this that Haruki wondered how different things would be if he and Kazusa never had feelings for one another. Setsuna was a beautiful girl, and she was a great friend, but Haruki still felt a slight twitch in his heart when he looked at her.

 _I suppose not all of my feelings for her have disappeared yet. I need to cut those out soon. I'm in love with Kazusa, right?_ This time is was Setsuna that nudged Haruki.

"Haruki-kun?"

"Yes, Setsuna-chan?"

"I've been asking you what would you like to eat for the past few minutes." She eyed him curiously, "Are you okay, Haruki-kun?"

Haruki nodded gently, "I'm fine." He shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I don't know what I want to eat, what about you?"

"I'm up for some tea and soup. It's pretty cold tonight." She wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm. Haruki noticed her shivering and quickly took off his coat then slipped it over her shoulders. The cold winter air pierced through Haruki's thin sweater, but he did his best to ignore it for Setsuna's sake. "Thank you, Haruki-kun." She smiled widely and pulled the coat tighter around her slender body.

"You're welcome." Haruki glanced up at the darkened sky as he spoke. A heavy snowfall was heading their way. "We should hurry." He took Setsuna's hand and began walking briskly towards the local noodle house. The snow fell heavily just as they entered the noodle house.

"We made it just in time." Setsuna let out a sigh of relief as she shook the snow from her clothes. Haruki nodded in agreement. He tucked his hands underneath his arms to warm them up. His hands were ice cold, just like the rest of his frozen body. The hostess led them to a small table in the center of the room. She bowed to them and left them with menus.

Haruki looked over the menu in silence. He glanced between the menu and Setsuna, who was so focused on the menu, she didn't realize she had begun to drool. "Uh, Setsuna-chan?"

She shot up from the menu and looked directly in Haruki's eyes, "Hm?"

"I- You- Well, uh…" He picked up his napkin, and leaned over to wipe Setsuna's face.

Setsuna's eyes went wide. _What is he doing?_ She gasped as Haruki's hand shot up to cup her cheek. Instinctively, she closed her eyes and leaned forward. _He wants to kiss me! He still likes me!_ She waited for the kiss with overwhelming anticipation, and attacked the first thing that touched her lips. She noticed right away that Haruki's lips didn't feel the same as before. They weren't warm and welcoming, but were more cold and distant. Her eyes shot open once she realized it wasn't Haruki she was kissing, but his hand holding a cloth napkin. She turned a deep shade of crimson, and ducked behind her menu to hide her embarrassment.

"Th-Thank you, Haruki-kun." She muttered softly.

"I'm sorry, Setsuna-chan." He averted his gaze away from Setsuna.

"It's okay. I understand that we're just friends." She felt her heart break slightly as she said it. _Just friends. But is that all I really want to be?_ Setsuna sighed softly to herself, then did her best to force a smile onto her face. "Have you decided what you want, Haruki-kun?"

"I'm going to have ramen and tea with milk." He shut the menu and gave Setsuna a slight smile.

"I'll have the same then." Moments later, the waitress walked over and took their orders. The two friends sat there enjoying each other's company. The talked, they bickered, they argued, and they reminisced about their days with Kazusa. They missed her terribly, and Haruki was beginning to question whether or not he'd ever see her again.

 **.xx.**

 _So, I'm fully aware that White Album 2 has an actual ending based on the video games. Unfortunately, I have only seen the anime, which ended horribly for me. With that being said, this story begins where the anime ends._


	2. Chapter 2

The early morning rays of sunlight splashed into Kazusa's room. She mumbled incoherently, bringing the blanket above her hear trying her best tot block the sun from her face. She tossed and turned in her bed trying to get comfortable enough to go back to sleep, but she couldn't. Finally, she gave up and threw her blanket aside. She swung her long legs over the side of her bed and stretched her arms over her head while letting out a thunderous yawn. She was completely exhausted from last night. Kazusa had stayed at the coffee shop into the late hours of the night, talking with Natalia about music and just about everything under the sun.

Natalia was actually a very interesting person. She learned that the coffee shop was owned by Natalia's parents, mostly as a side business. Their main business was the delivery and export of high-class vehicles. Natalia ran the coffee shop alone to keep herself busy. Kazusa had also learned that Natalia was a college student and was majoring in electrical engineering and spends whatever free time she had playing drums.

Kazusa pushed herself from the bed slowly, though she didn't really care to leave her bed today, or for a few days. All the music talks from last night made her miss Haruki more than ever. Those first night that Haruki spent at her house practicing for the fair into the late hours of the night. The way he'd fall asleep on the futon still holding his guitar. The way he'd always inform her that he was leaving for school in the mornings. Everything about him was perfect, except that he was so damn oblivious to nearly everything when it came to females.

 _Haruki struggled with the guitar solo for "Sound of Destiny" for hours and hours. It had gotten to the point that he was becoming easily frustrated with everything and anything. Kazusa admired his determination, but his frustration was hindering his progress._

" _Take a break, Kitahara. Go get some fresh air." Kazusa told him softly. He merely shook his head and continued to play, quickly messing up six notes into the solo. He growled loudly at himself and gripped the neck of his guitar until his knuckles turned white. "You idiot. I told you to take a break. Now go." Kazusa's voice had become stern and demanding._

 _Haruki turned to face her, but the look in his eyes wasn't the usual look of submission, but more of a silent anger and resentment. "Why do you always have to call me an idiot!?"_

" _Because, you're an idiot. That's why." Her voice remained stern despite Haruki's raised voice and angry tone._

" _Because, I keep messing up the solo? Because, I'm struggling to play my own instrument? Well, here. Please, show me how it's done. Better yet, why don't you just play my part at the fair as well since you know everything! Newsflash princess, not everyone has the advantage you do when it comes to music! Not everyone can spend ten plus hours a day playing a goddamn instrument!" By this time, Haruki had pulled the guitar strap over his head and tossed his guitar aside. "You're awesome and beautiful as hell, but you're a real pain in the ass, nor does it give you the right to act like I don't matter. I have feeling too, you know? And, you've done nothing but step all over them since all of this started, and I'm starting to get real fucking tired of it. So, you and Setsuna-chan have fun. I'm done with this."_

It was the first time Haruki had lost his temper with her, and it had impressed her. After their fight, she quickly followed him outside and apologized for constantly giving him a hard time. The rest of their practices went smooth after that.

Kazusa stumbled over to her bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Her long, dark hair was adamantly tangled, and dark circles were beginning to show underneath her eyes. She quickly splashed cold water on her face in an attempt to freshen up a bit. When she shut off the water, she could hear her mother speaking with someone in the den.

"We believe the tour could bring great exposure to you both. We're talking about concerts across Europe, Youko." It was Youko's manager, Emilia. Kazusa had only met her on a handful of occasions, but she didn't have a need to communicate with her, so she never bothered to get to know Emilia on a personal level. "Who knows this tour could lead to concerts worldwide! Just think about it, Youko. Please?"

Kazusa waited for Emilia to leave the house before she made her presence known to her mother. Youko had made her way into the kitchen after Emilia left. She was pouring herself coffee when Kazusa entered the kitchen.

"Good morning, Kazusa. What would you like for breakfast?"

"I'm not really hungry, Mother." Kazusa took a seat at the dining table. Her mother brought over a cup of coffee for her. It had been their routine since first getting to Vienna. "What did Emilia want?"

"She was talking business. Something about doing a tour." Youko sipped her coffee once she took her seat across from Kazusa.

"When do you leave?" Kazusa asker her mother without lifting her eyes from her cup.

"I'm not." Kazusa's eyes shot up from her cup. Youko never turned down anything that could help her career. "We are leaving in two weeks."

"We?"

"Yes, you are going with me, and we are going to perform in Paris then we'll begin our tour from there."

"Our tour? What exactly did you and Emilia discuss?"

"Emilia thinks it would be a great opportunity for you and your career if we toured Europe together. It would definitely help jump start your career." Youko downed her cup of coffee.

"What's in it for you, Mother? I don't see you tagging along just to support me." Kazusa even smirked at her comment.

"Well, I'd be playing the concerts as well, except I'd be the main attraction." Youko grinned over at her daughter, who had let out a slight snicker. "I'd really like you to come with me, Kazusa. I think it would be a great bonding experience for both of us and I can show you a few things that I've learned from being on the road so much."

"I'll go, Mother. Simply because you demanded so nicely to begin with." Kazusa replied with a smile. She stood from her seat and left to return to her room to change before leaving the house. She hadn't had much time to explore Vienna with all her practicing and preparing for the concerts. So, she decided to explore today with only one concert to go until she left for Paris.

She didn't know much about Vienna, except that it was the capital city of Austria, and it was obvious that she was a foreigner. The sun was high in the Vienna sky, rays of sunlight bathed her in warmth against the slight winter breeze. Snow covered everything in sight, and Kazusa loved ever bit of it. She began walking aimlessly, looking at everything she could. She was enjoying herself, but she felt guilty for doing so. Here she was having the time of her life, and she had left her best friend and her lover broken hearted back in Japan.

 _Is it really fair to them? To me? Why do I feel bad for enjoying myself? They would be happy for me, right? Was I being selfish for coming to Vienna? Do they hate me for it? Do I hate myself for doing this?_ Kazusa doubted herself, her friends, and her very life since the second she stepped foot onto the that would taker her away from Japan. She kept walking lost in her thoughts, until she came up to an intersection where posters and flyers were lined all against the wall. There was one flyer that caught her eye though, it was for an amusement park only a few miles away.

She had never been to an amusement park before, and today seemed like the perfect opportunity to go to one. She had no idea how to pronounce the name of the park, but that wasn't important unless she took a cab. Kazusa tucked her hands into her coat and continued to stroll down the street.

She had become completely distracted by all the old stone buildings that lined the streets. The architecture was absolutely stunning. She had never seen stone so intricately crafted to be displayed elegantly five stories above the ground. It was quite remarkable. She remained completely awestruck as she continued her walk towards the amusement park. Finally, the amusement park came into view and the first thing she noticed was the enormous Ferris wheel behind the gates of the park.

Her eyes sparkled with a childish joy as she broke into a sprint towards the park. As she drew closer, her heart began to pound with excitement. The lines to enter were fairly short, but she still felt like they were taking forever. She noticed some of the other guests glancing at her periodically. Kazusa didn't let it bother her too much. She figured a Japanese girl wasn't very common in this area.

"Kazusa!" A familiar voice rang out from the crowd. Kazusa quickly began to scan the crowd for anyone she might recognize. Before she realized it, Natalia was nearly standing in front of her. "Hi, Kazusa!"

"Oh, hi Natalia." Kazusa replied, somewhat shocked that Natalia was here instead of the coffee shop. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I'm-" Natalia blushed slightly and kept glancing over her shoulder, "On a date."

The response made Kazusa giggle a bit, especially the way Natalia blushed as she said it. "That's so cute! Who's the lucky stud?"

Natalia blushed even harder but waved for her date to join them. Kazusa waited for a handsome gentleman to join them but instead a petite girl stepped forward. She looked about Kazusa's age. She had short black hair, held out of her face by a red headband. Her emerald green eyes sparkled against the sunlight, mesmerizing even Kazusa. "Kazusa, this is my date, the stud as you put it. I'd like you to meet Aleksandra."

Kazusa quickly bowed to the girl, and her face became flushed as she rose, "It's a pleasure to meet you." She turned her attention back to Natalia, "I'm so sorry about the stud comment. I shouldn't have assumed." This time, it was Kazusa that turned a bright shade of red.

Kazusa's reaction forced a chuckle from both Natalia and Aleksandra. "I'm not gay." Natalia replied between laughs, "I am, however, bi-sexual. I hope that doesn't bother you."

"Oh no! Not at all! She's a really gorgeous girl! She made me question whether or not I actually love a boy from back home." Kazusa replied quickly. Aleksandra smiled widely then mouthed a silent 'thank you'. Kazusa blushed once again, "Oh my, I'm flirting, aren't I?" Kazusa buried her face in her hands, "I'm sorry. I'm terrible at this."

Natalia laughed once again at how flustered Kazusa had become. "It's okay. We get this reaction a lot. Would you like to join us? I know you're still fairly new to Vienna."

Kazusa turned her attention towards Aleksandra, "You don't mind?"

"Of course not. The more, the merrier. Besides, it's quite obvious you're not the slightest bit gay." Aleksandra teased Kazusa.

"Okay, yeah. That would be wonderful. Thank you." Kazusa replied with a bow. _I didn't intend on being a third wheel today but at least I won't be alone._ Kazusa followed the couple inside the park to begin their day of fun.

Setsuna sat in her room, studying and reviewing her school materials. She and Haruki began college next month, so they were both in study mode. They usually spent several nights a week studying at Setsuna's once she returned home from work. Tonight, was one of their study nights together. Haruki had just called her to let her know he was done tutoring and would be on the way shortly.

Her heart pounded in her chest. She always became anxious when he came over. She didn't understand why though. She knew any feelings he had for her were long gone. "It's because of the sad look he always carries in his eyes." Setsuna sighed to herself, "Oh Haruki-kun, I'm so sorry. I just wanted the three of us to remain together forever." She half smiled to the memories of their Christmas trip. She loved every second of that trip, especially seeing Kazusa smile so much. However, she felt things were tense, and she had been correct after all. A slight buzzing sound caught her attention.

Her cell phone was lit up and vibrating intensely. She picked it up and stared at the phone for a brief second before answering it. "Hello?"

"Setsuna-chan, can you please come open the door for me? I, kind of, have my hands full." Haruki's voice sounded cheerful, which made Setsuna's heart pound even more. She loved when he was happy and well-spirited. It wasn't often, but when it did happen, she loved seeing it.

"I'll be right down, Haruki-kun." Setsuna replied cheerfully. She shut her phone and jumped from her bed to meet Haruki at the door. Setsuna all but flew down the stairs. Shortly after hanging up with Haruki, she swung open the front door. Haruki was holding his usual book bag, but he was also holding drinks and several other bags.

"I hope you don't mind, but I got dinner for us." Haruki stepped into the house. "I got hungry on the way here and thought we could eat while we study."

Setsuna's eyes sparkled with delight. "That's sweet of you, Haruki-kun," She bowed slightly to him as she shut the door, "But, I could have made something for us."

"I know Setsuna-chan, but you make something every night I'm here. So, tonight is my treat!" Haruki plastered a wide smile on his face. "Shall we go upstairs?"

Setsuna led the way up to her room. Haruki knew the way by heart since he had been here so many times. They entered the room, and Haruki immediately set down everything he was carrying. They took their seats across the small table from each other. The food Haruki had gotten them was absolutely delicious. They sat in silence as they ate, stealing glances at each other. A loud buzzing sound broke their silence. Setsuna looked down at her phone. She couldn't recognize the number, and Haruki noticed the confused look on her face.

"What's wrong Setsuna-chan?" Haruki asked, covering his mouth since it was still full of food.

"Hello?" She held a finger up to Haruki as she answered her phone. Her eyes widened, her vision became clouded, and her heart began to pound.

 _Hi there, Setsuna-chan._ Kazusa's voice rang in through the phone. Setsuna's voice caught in her throat as she struggled to fight back her tears.

"Ka-Kazusa?" Setsuna's voice was soft, as if she didn't believe she was actually speaking to her friend. Haruki's eyes filled with disbelief at the mention of Kazusa's name.

 _It's me, Setsuna-chan. How are you? Have things been okay since I left?_

"I'm fine. Things have been okay. We miss you. We've been studying for college a lot recently. How's Vienna?"

 _I miss you guys as well. Vienna is awesome. It's so beautiful over here. I wish you could see it, Setsuna-chan. How's Haruki been doing? Is he okay?_ Kazusa's voice softened once Haruki became the main subject of the conversation. Setsuna glanced over at Haruki, who was exiting the room at the moment.

"Honestly, he's been hurting. He acts like he's fine, but I know he isn't. It's written all over his face. He misses you terribly, Kazusa."

 _I miss him too. Sometimes, I wish I had stayed in Japan with you two. I have great news though._ Kazusa took a slight pause before she blurted out, _I'm going to Paris with my mother! We're going on tour together!_ Kazusa squealed into the phone. Setsuna squealed along with her friend. It had been ages since they had spoken to each other, and they discussed everything under the moon.

 _I wish you guys could come over here._ Kazusa's voice grew soft. She wanted them to be in Vienna with her.

"So do we, Kazusa." Setsuna replied just as Haruki entered the room again.

 _I have to go now, Setsuna-chan. I miss you. Tell Haruki I miss him as well and hopefully, I'll see you guys soon. Bye, Setsuna-chan._ Kazusa quickly hung up the phone before Setsuna could say anything else. Setsuna stared at her phone blankly for several seconds until Haruki broke the silence.

"H-How is she?" His voice was barely above a whisper. He was hurt that Kazusa called Setsuna, and not him.

"She's doing fine. She misses you, Haruki-kun. She wanted you to know that." Haruki didn't respond with anything but a nod. "Kazusa is going on tour with her mother in a week. They're going to Paris. She seems really excited about it."

"That's great, Ogiso-san. I'm happy for her." His response was saturated in irritation. Setsuna winced at his use of her last name. Haruki set down the book he was currently reading with a sigh. "I'm sorry, Setsuna-chan. I should go."

"No!" Setsuna stared at him with misty eyes, "Please, don't go. Stay here with me, Haruki-kun." She reached out and took his hand. "Please. I'm begging you." Tears began to fall down her cheeks and all Haruki could do was comply with her request.

Haruki took a seat beside his friend and put an arm over her shoulder, "Of course. I'll stay with you whenever you want." Setsuna smiled and snuggled up against Haruki's chest. She missed being this close to him. Feeling the warmth of his body against hers, to know in this brief moment of time, Haruki was only thinking of her. "I guess we won't be doing much studying tonight." Haruki commented with a soft chuckle. "Shall we do something else?"

"Wherever you go, I will follow." Setsuna glanced up at Haruki with a loving gaze. It was moments like this, that Setsuna just wanted to reach up and kiss Haruki with every ounce of passion she had, but she knew she couldn't.

"How about we go for a walk? It feels lovely outside, and it's been awhile since we've wandered around aimlessly."

"That sounds great to me, Haruki-kun." Setsuna pushed herself up from the floor with a grunt. It felt as if she had been sitting on the floor for hours. Her knees, thighs and back all ached.

"Are you sure you're up for a walk? You sounded like an old woman just now." Haruki snickered loudly, earning a glare from Setsuna.

"You're so mean, Haruki-kun!" Setsuna whined, playfully kicking Haruki's shins. Haruki continued to laugh even as Setsuna's kicks gained power.

"Ow! Okay, okay! I get it, Setsuna-chan!" He stopped laughing, but small giggles still fought to escape his lips. Once she stopped kicking him, he quickly jumped up. "Shall we go?" With a nod from Setsuna, they dashed from the room. It had definitely been a long time since they were this happy, but Haruki wasn't sure if it was because of Kazusa or not. As the night went on, the answer to that question became more difficult to find.


End file.
